Michael Ryan Flatley (born July 16, 1958) is an American dancer, choreographer, and musician. He became internationally known for Irish dance shows Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, Feet of Flames, and Celtic Tiger.
Flatley is a native of the South Side of Chicago. He is of Irish background, being born to Irish parents Michael and Eilish. His parents were both Irish-born, but migrated to the US several years before Michael's birth. Michael is the second of five children. He has three sisters, Anne-Marie, Eliza and Thomasina, as well as a brother Patrick.